‘Black Widow’: 5 Florence Pugh Movies Fans Need to See
Black Widow gives fans of Scarlett Johansson’s Marvel character at least one more adventure with Natasha Romanoff. But the movie also introduces audiences to another character destined to make a big splash in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). Pugh has been a rising star for years, and now that she’s in the MCU via Black Widow, it’s high time Marvel fans caught up with her biggest movies to date.
‘Lady Macbeth’ (2016)
Pugh’s breakout role, Lady Macbeth, isn’t a gender-swapped riff on the William Shakespeare classic. Rather, the movie follows a young woman (Pugh) who struggles in a loveless marriage and the extra-marital affair that results. The film co-stars Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker actor Naomi Ackie, and its underwhelming box office take only makes all the critical praise for Lady Macbeth all the more bittersweet.
‘Outlaw King’ (2018)
Two years later, Pugh co-starred as the queen opposite Chris Pine’s titular Robert the Bruce. The Netflix movie again placed the actor in a period setting. But considering how the movie’s positions her largely as the love interest component of Pine’s story, Pugh certainly makes the most of her screen time. Reviews for Outlaw King were mixed, but for Pugh completists, the film makes a worthwhile addition to their watch lists.
‘Fighting with My Family’ (2019)
Nothing in the above two films indicate Pugh would go on to play an aspiring professional wrestler. And yet, that’s exactly what she does in this movie, playing real-life wrestler Saraya “Paige” Knight. The film works brilliantly as a stirring comedy-drama about a family but as a love letter to wrestling fans everywhere. Nick Frost, Game of Thrones star Lena Headey, and Dwayne Johnson — who also produces — co-star.
‘Midsommar’ (2019)
Fighting with My Family set up 2019 as a major year for Pugh. But Midsommar really kicked her career into gear. The psychological horror film comes from the mind of writer-director Ari Aster (Hereditary). Pugh received stellar reviews for her powerful performance as a young woman grieving a family tragedy. She finds herself in an even more troubling situation when a trip to Sweden leads her and her friends into danger.
‘Little Women’ (2019)
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women has been adapted for the screen several times. However, writer-director Greta Gerwig found a way to re-energize the 1868 novel. And Pugh’s Oscar-nominated performance as Amy March helped solidify Gerwig’s Little Women as a high point for 2019 movies. Fellow Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep also star in the movie.
BONUS: ‘Father of the Bride Part 3(ish)’
It’s not exactly a movie, but the 2020 short film Father of the Bride Part 3(ish) earned a spot on this list. Released during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and filmed over Zoom, the story picks up from 1995’s Father of the Bride Part 2 and reunites the entire principal cast. Pugh joins the family as Megan Banks, the now-adult daughter of Steve Martin and Diane Keaton’s characters. Here’s hoping a third feature film follows.
